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Leqembi infusions
Hello. I'm new to the group. My husband was recently diagnosed with MCI due to AD, 66 yo. + APOE 4. Needless to say, we are devastated. He's had mild memory loss for about 6 months. Tried aricept but had terrible GI symptoms. He's been tolerating Namenda. I haven't noticed must improvement with his ST memory. However,…
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Mother lives across country and has early stage dementia
Mother lives across the country and insists she is taking her medications regularly, but her BP says something different. She tells her doctor that she is taking her meds and feels that the doctor is calling her a liar. I know she is not taking them regularly, and she meets the criteria of loss of memory for the early…
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How fast does Zoloft work?
My mom is 83yo, in mild to moderate Alzheimers. I don't know which stage exactly, just that she has plaque on several parts of her brain. The neurologist says her stage is dependent on her behavior and abilities. She's been taking donepezil for about 2 months now. Took 6 weeks to get her to 10mg. She has been getting…
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Moving my mom - which is best
My mom was told she has Alzheimer’s about 2 weeks ago. I think it is early. We have noticed trouble with remembering she has told us something and I know it took her 2 hours to pay a bill not remembering whether she had told us something call the bank or call the credit card company. My friend, who is currently helping…
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No Appetite
My mom hasn’t been eating or drinking for a few weeks. We brought her to ER for IV fluids and the PT recommended a rehab facility to get her eating, drinking, and moving again. Great plan except that she has no appetite and everything tastes bad to her. Even foods she loves. She is excited to eat it and then stops after a…
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Wedding anniversary...
I might already know the answer to this question, but I thought I would put it out here. My DW's wedding anniversary is next week Wednesday. On most days I'm her best friend and "where is my husband?". Do I potentially stir the pot or just let our anniversary pass going unrecognized? It's sad. I'm leaning toward it going…
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Downsizing
My wife has had Alzheimer's for 8 years and is now in Stage 6. Care giving is difficult, can't even remember when the difficult part started. My plan has been to keep her at home as long as possible since I think she would be happiest in a familiar environment and my undivided attention has got to be better that what…
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Just venting
Yesterday was not a good day for my DW….It was a total delusional day. she thought there was people in the house, her dead sister, father, mother and our sons who live in another state. when no one has been here. She has been started on a new medication which seems to have very little effect, but it is early. She got up…
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Bedridden mother w/dental issues
Hello. I care for my 89 year old mother who has severe Alzheimer's and has been bedridden since falling and breaking her hip in February of last year. She has visiting hospice nurses twice a week, and (by the grace of God) is doing well, overall for her circumstances. My Mom has a full upper partial, which had previously…
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My DW's mom was going to visit, and then couldn't.
My DW's mom has Alzheimer's also. She is 88 but she is not as advanced as my DW. My DW's stepdad attempted to drive my DW's mom from Florida to visit my DW here in Indiana. They got as far as Tennessee and had to turn around. My DW's mom got confused and agitated and insisted on going home. I have read that it's nearly…
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To Pee or not to Pee
I thought I was prepared for the day my DW would become incontinent. A couple of weeks ago I woke up to my DW laying in bed unclothed. Apparently she wet the bed and then took off her clothes and went back to sleep. I got everything cleaned up. I had bought pull ups last month, so I removed all her underware and replaced…
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The end is near.
Apri 9th I fell the end is near. They have padded bandages on her elbows now because she sits in a wheelchair all day and can't move. They try to move her hands and she won't let them. I fear she has given up. They told me today, that they have started turning her every two hours to prevent her from getting any more bed…
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Help me please
I am so burned out and feeling alone. My husband is 86 yrs old and I am 73. Been married for 43 years. The regular doctor says he has dementia or Alzheimer’s . He now refuses to go to any doctor or to receive any help from hospice or anyone. He has mood swings very often which plays on me and my wellbeing. Not to get in…
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Isolation
My sweet DH with VD Aphasia and stage 7 has been more agitated than usual. Because of his Aphasia I have taken to using my phone more and more for keeping in touch with family and friends, doing the accounts, ordering meals and other essentials online (it’s so hard to get to the shops), checking the news (the radio is…
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Bathroom accidents
Hi everyone. My mother is the primary caregiver for my father, who has Alzheimer’s that has been progressing quickly. We need some advice. Over the past few months, he has started having significant difficulties with toileting hygiene. He’ll use the bathroom but is no longer able to complete the wiping process — usually…
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New controversy with Donanemab (marketed in the US as Kisunla)
Donanemab: Conflicts of interest found in FDA committee that approved new Alzheimer’s drug https://www.bmj.com/content/386/bmj.q2010
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How do I respond to my parent talking about me as if I were someone else?
As life would have it, my parent who I just moved over a thousand miles is now seemingly fuzzy about who I am (her only daughter). She 100% recognized me back in late January. When healthcare professionals ask, "who is that sitting next to you?" She will answer "my daughter" and say my name and act like it's a ridiculous…
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When shouting is necessary to avoid harm?
I realize it's best to redirect, distract, avoid any actions to lead to failure, but if a PWD is about to cause harm or an accident, it may be necessary to forcefully pull their body or hand away from harm, or shout to stop it. For example, if I look away for a moment, PWD walks inand a) put hands on a hot stove or b)…
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Hoyer Lift in Nursing Home
My DH is in a 5 star medicare rated nursing home. His mobility has decreased to where he needs a 2 person hoyer lift for assist. The aide operated the lift alone and when I questioned it the aide said it's ok. I mentioned it at my husband's care plan meeting and the aide got some type of reprimand. The aide no longer…
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Mom at my wedding?
I would really like my mom to be at my wedding but thinking about the logistics is a lot. She lives in memory care 1 hour from the venue. I would help her with getting ready and getting here there but I’m worried about everything after when I won’t be as available for bathroom help, reorienting, keeping her from wandering…
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Vitamin B12 1000 MCG
When we went to our Neurologist for the first time in February, he noticed that my DH's Vitamin B was very low so he advised us to take 1000 MCG per day. After 2 months of taking it, I noticed some real changes in my DH. More REAL conversations, less shuffling of his feet and much less napping during the day. We had our…
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Witness of My Mother’s Passing
This piece is a witness to my mother’s final days with Alzheimer’s. I wrote it some time ago, but I wasn’t ready to share it until now. For privacy, I’ve changed names and identifying details, including her last name and the town where we lived. This piece includes honest descriptions of the dying process, including…
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New diagnosis
Hello. I'm a 77 yo female newly diagnosed with very early Alzheimers. I told my doctor about a couple of experiences that I thought could be more than old age cognition and she offered me the p tau 217 blood test. The result was 0.28. She then ordered an MRI which was determined to be 'normal for age'. She started me on…
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Exhausted and angry--venting
Please forgive my ridiculously long post. It's a character flaw. Background: My mom (91) was fully independent til last October. In hindsight, there were signs that she was deteriorating--she was suddenly unable to navigate the remote control and the phone, for example, and I made quite a few drives to her house to assist…
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Grieving the living
My mom has Alzheimers. I moved in with her and my dad 2 years ago. At first my dad was taking the brunt of the abuse. She is so mean to him and occasionally hits him. Normally my mom is sweet, conservative, and very religious. Now she is mean, conniving and the complete opposite of who she was. We finally heard of medicine…
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Not liking me or DH much these days
It’s very apparent to me that everything and I mean everything my DH does or doesn’t do these days annoys the heck out of me! Trying to get him to shower or change his clothes or eat a decent meal (and not sweets) is always a battle. I take him out everyday and no matter what we do he complains about something. If I leave…
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Mom struggling to remember my late Dad :(
I was really taken aback today. My father passed away in December. My mom has been heavily grieving him ever since— I know she would look at his picture every day and have a good cry. We moved her from their home into AL near me this past week. Today I had lunch with her, and I was thinking "Wow, she seems really with it…
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Newly Diagnosed Physician
I am a 60 yo newly diagnosed with Alzheimer's. I am a retired Family Physician who noticed issues approximately 18 months ago and was diagnosed with MCI. I stopped practicing medicine and was given disability benefits. I am fortunate to have had that option but despite all my expertise the process of getting a definitive…
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New Normal or Just Tired?
My DW has been a bit more confused and more tired the last two days. Her gait has also changed to a more half step with some shuffling. She has been going to daycare three days a week and has stayed longer twice so far this week. We’re only up to her staying close to three hours but, yesterday she was tired when she came…
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Breaking Point
My Mom (78) was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s MCI about 2 years ago via Blood test, MMSE, MOCA. I don’t recall anything other than normal aging from the brain MRI at that time. She has not yet had a neuro psych evaluation. I was not terribly impressed with the neurologist that we saw. My Dad passed away in late February.…